Skip the Soreness: Ways to Ease Post-Workout Muscle Pain

Yesterday’s workout making your muscles scream today? The good news? You’re likely experiencing “delayed onset muscle soreness” (DOMS). While soreness isn’t a sign of a better workout, there is some truth to “no pain, no gain”, in the world of exercise (we’ll explain why in a sec).

We don’t want you to feel like you have to suffer through any soreness you may be experiencing. So, let’s skip the soreness, shall we? Here we offer tips on how to ease your post-workout muscle pain:

Is it a Good Sign to Have DOMS?

Delayed onset muscle soreness happens after you’ve worked your body hard enough to create tiny tears in your muscle fibers, a common occurrence after you’ve bumped up your workout intensity, frequency/length, or have tried a new activity. As your muscles heal, they get bigger and stronger, paving the way to the next fitness level.

What to know about DOMS:

• It usually kicks in 12 to 24 hours after a tough workout.
• It peaks between 24 to 72 hours.
• Soreness typically goes away in a few days.

Nobody wants to be in pain after a workout! Ease the soreness with massage therapy and chiropractic services. Call/ text Driven Fit + SWS at (813) 440-3016 to schedule an appointment.

Tricks to Ease Muscle Pain

Ssshhhh…here are some tricks our trainers use to keep muscle soreness at bay after an intense training session:

Keep Moving.

While your first reaction to ease muscle soreness may be to cling to the sofa, this will have the opposite effect. By moving around and doing something light and gentle (exercise such as swimming), your body will feel better.

Rest and Recover.

Rest days are crucial for muscle recovery! Taking a day or two off gives your body a chance to repair itself and replenish some energy. Typically, the second day after an intense workout can be the toughest.

At Driven Fit + SWS, our trainers suggest doing light exercise the day after a heavy workout, then completely taking off the next day.

Apply Heat.

If your muscles still ache 48 hours after an intense workout, carefully apply some heat with a warm towel or heating pad. This will stimulate blood flow to your muscles to ease tightness and help them feel better. Be careful and avoid direct contact with any heating device.

Get a Recovery Massage.

Therapeutic massage does wonders to relieving muscle tension, boosting blood flow, and increasing the range of motion in your joints. It doesn’t hurt that it’s super relaxing either!

When muscles are sore, instead of a deep-tissue massage, opt for something more gentle (such as a Swedish massage) or tender-point acupressure (when a therapist applies pressure and holds it on the tender areas).

Massage therapy at Driven Fit + SWS is just what the body needs for rest and recovery after an intense workout!

Take an Anti-Inflammatory.

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories such as Aspirin, Ibuprofen, and Naproxen can significantly reduce swelling and relieve muscle pain.

See Results, but Skip the Soreness

At our South Tampa studio, we’re about more than just fitness. Whether you’re one of our local South Tampa clients or we’re training you virtually, trust us, after crushing a killer workout with our personal trainers you’ll really appreciate our total body approach.

Recovery and maintenance are a huge part of our wellness program, and if you’re in the area, our massage therapists can help to relieve your post-workout muscle pain! For our virtual clients, we have your back with tips and tricks from our team that you can do at home.

Reach your fitness goals and experience a total body transformation with Team Driven. Call/ text (813) 440-3016 to chat!